The Changing Face of
College Campuses
Blane Harding, Colorado State University
Over the past few decades, eighty-five percent of all immigrants
to the United States have arrived from either Asia or Latin America;
today Latinos are the largest American minority group. These demographic
trends have impacted the recruitment efforts of many institutions
and caused many campus administrators to incorporate diversity into
their strategic plans. Furthermore, recognizing that diversity extends
beyond race to include ethnicity, traditional/non-traditional status,
military experience, disabilities, etc., administrators have increased
recruitment efforts to attract an increasingly diverse population
to our campuses. However, while administrations have focused on
recruitment, the efforts to retain these students has largely become
the responsibility of others, particularly those involved in academic
advising.
We, as academic advisors, must be poised to address this situation.
I began my academic career as a history professor and later served
as the coordinator of the Black Studies Program. More recently,
I have been the academic advisor for the College of Liberal Arts,
charged with the responsibility of training our advising team. My
background as a history and ethnic studies professor helped me gain
invaluable information and experience that allows me to be a more
effective advisor and trainer. As advisors, the greater the understanding
we have concerning the history, experience, and culture of those
we serve, the more effective we become. This historical and cultural
information leads to greater credibility and the establishment of
a trusting mentor relationship. Advising a diverse student body
must be more than just schedule writing; it requires that each of
us has a more complete understanding of those we serve.
A well-rounded perspective encourages each advisor to reach the
goal of treating people equally. However, this does not mean that
we should treat each student the same. When we treat each student
the same, we negate the particularity of individual students and
waste the historical knowledge we have gained. To treat students
equally, we must treat them differently. A focus on their unique
differences allows us to address each student’s individual
situation and needs. We must distribute our attention in equal measure
to precisely what they do not have in common, their unique differences.
Equality is a question of the subject rather than the object. It
is a matter of how we conduct ourselves toward others, not a question
of some equally shared property or condition inherent in them. We
need to pay equal attention to all students and focus on them as
equal individuals. I am not suggesting that we “step outside
our comfort zone,” but instead that we “expand our comfort
zones.” Our interactions with students should not only concern
their academic needs, but just as importantly, address their personal
needs.
How students identify themselves should be a key as to how we,
as advisors, establish our credibility and build a relationship.
Not all individuals live their lives as “ethnic beings.”
Just because we may physically identify a student as Asian American
or Latino(a) does not mean that he or she self-identifies in this
manner. There is a difference between assimilation, acculturation,
and integration. Individuals can develop through any of these pathways.
Some diverse students may identify themselves as acculturated ethnics,
while others simply identify themselves as assimilated Americans.
It would be detrimental to presume a student’s identity if
our objective is to nurture a caring and productive relationship.
Therefore, over time, we should allow each student to self identify,
but building a relationship that allows self-identification takes
time and a willingness to give as much as we receive.
The ultimate objective is to raise our awareness. For many, this
assumes an external function: we want to become more historically,
culturally, and theoretically aware of our students; we want to
better understand the rules and regulations of the university; we
want to have a clearer understanding of our duties and responsibilities.
If we are to truly embrace diversity, we must also become more internally
aware. How can we better understand other worldviews if we do not
fully understand or question our own? If we are to raise our awareness
internally, we must question our own attitudes, values, beliefs,
behaviors, assumptions, and prejudices. Only when we have done this,
can we truly value diversity and become more effective academic
advisors. As Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Diversity should
not be a concept we discuss, but a habit we practice.
Blane Harding, Academic Advisor
Colorado State University
(970) 491-5421
Blane.Harding@colostate.edu
References:
Landis, Dan, Janet M. Bennett, and Milton J. Bennett. Handbook
of Intercultural Training. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publishers,
2004.
Takaki, Ronald. A Larger Memory: A History of Our Diversity, With
Voices. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1998.
Aguirre, Adalberto and Jonathan H. Turner. American Ethnicity:
The Dynamics and Consequences of Discrimination. Boston: McGraw-Hill
Publishers, 2004.
Vision and Visibility
Eric White, President, NACADA
It was recently announced that the American
Association of Higher Education (AAHE) is closing its doors.
As president of NACADA, this stunning
announcement gave me reason to think about NACADA’s
future. While I can only speculate as to the reasons for AAHE having
to shut down (much of the public statement had to do with declining
membership and the concomitant financial issues), it seems like
a good time to raise some questions about how NACADA functions and
what our future can look like.
• Do we stay in touch with our
constituents?
• Are we good stewards for our resources, by trying to keep
costs down?
• Do we listen to our members?
• Are we careful that we don’t impose any unwanted
“agendas” on our members?
• Do we keep lines of communication open?
• Do we allow as many voices as possible to be heard?
To put it simply, I think we all try very
hard to make sure the answer to all these questions is Yes.
NACADA has sponsored sessions at regional
conferences to discuss the issue of certification for academic advisors
and how to encourage a wide diversity in NACADA leadership. We have
also run sessions at conferences called “NACADA listens.”
We open our business session to all at our national conferences.
The journal issue on theories of advising (due out in the fall of
2005) will feature many voices. We strive to keep our membership
fee as affordable as possible. We try to negotiate the best possible
deals with hotels so that we can keep conference costs down. We
have streamlined our board meetings to reduce costs.
While all of this is positive, does it
or can it assure a healthy future for our organization?
The AAHE story includes both a declining
membership and competing organizations’ themes. While NACADA
has seen a rising membership lately, I do wonder if we really have
reached everyone in the academic advising community. We know that
there are organizations that focus on advising special populations
of students, for example, and I wonder how many advisors make a
choice of one membership in the specialized organization versus
membership in NACADA. While those reading this piece are most likely
members of NACADA, I believe that we have not convinced all who
know of us about the value of being a NACADA member, nor has the
word gotten out to some academic advisors that we exist at all
I would be disappointed if there was even
one academic advisor in the nation, in fact in the world, who did
not know about NACADA. But unfortunately, I do know that there are
advisors who are not aware of NACADA’s existence. We have
to figure out how to reach these people, in effect how to be visible.
I suspect that there are also college and
university presidents, chancellors, and provosts who may not be
aware of us. We have to figure out ways to reach them, too.
Advisors ask students to dream, to test
their abilities, to seek new knowledge, and to try what might be
impossible. We should expect no less of ourselves, and you should
expect no less from your association.
Here is my dream.
Some day a university/college president
will come to an advisor and ask:
President: Did
you know that there was such an organization as the National Academic
Advising Association?
Advisor: Yes
President: Well, we need to see that you
get to their conferences and institutes. Does our library subscribe
to their NACADA Journal?
Advisor: No
President: Would you discuss this with
our library personnel so that we can get a subscription?
Advisor: Yes
President: Does our Advising Center have
copies of NACADA publications?
Advisor: No
President: I’ll see that more money
is allocated to the budget. Are all our advisors members of NACADA?
Advisor: No
President: Let’s start a campaign
to encourage membership.
How’s that for a dream? But rather
than a dream of impossibility, we in NACADA, with your input, can
turn dreams to reality. At the last NACADA Board meeting, I charged
a Task Force on NACADA
Visibility to do some dreaming. Specifically,
I asked them to consider who have we not reached and how can we
reach them? The Task Force will be reporting back to the Board at
our October 2005 meeting in Las Vegas. By dreaming a little, while
still keeping our feet firmly planted on the ground, NACADA can
continue to meet the needs of the academic advising community for
many years to come.
Eric White, President
National Academic Advising Association
(814) 865-7576
erw2@psu.edu
SPRINGTIME IN NACADA
Roberta “Bobbie” Flaherty, Executive
Director
In NACADA, Spring means ten regional conferences
and mid-year Council and Board meetings.
We attempt to have a NACADA Officer and
Executive Staff member at every regional conference to enhance communication
with the membership. We find this very helpful in identifying new
issues facing our members, in identifying members who want to get
more involved in the association, and in hearing what the members
want from their association.
This year’s conferences have been
terrific! While each region’s conference is a bit different,
all featured excellent presentations and opportunities for networking.
The members who volunteer to coordinate the regional conferences
contribute a lot to their regions and to the association. Thanks
to everyone who has been involved with these tasks this year. You
have done an outstanding job!
Las Vegas will be the site of this year’s
conference (October 5-8). I know you will be pleased with the conference
hotel, Bally’s, and the fine program the National Conference
Committee has developed. In addition, the Committee has enlisted
assistance from students in the UNLV Convention Planning Program;
we look forward to their involvement.
At the mid-year meeting, the NACADA Council
discussed a number of association issues. They recommended a change
in the reporting structure for the Finance Committee, so that the
Committee would report directly to the Board of Directors, since
the committee deals mostly with the Board on budget issues. In addition,
they discussed one state’s interest in changing regional affiliation,
national conference session sponsorship by Commissions, procedures
for Commission or Interest Group name changes, award recipient recognitions,
consultant teams, promotion of advising research, timing of committee
member appointments, organizational communication issues, and Commission
and Interest Group guidelines.
The Board of Directors approved the Council’s
recommendation regarding the reporting of the Finance Committee.
The Board reviewed the FY04 financial reports and the FY05 reports
to date and found the association in sound financial shape. They
received reports regarding ongoing projects from the Executive Office,
Advisory Boards, and Task Forces. The Board of Directors continued
their discussion of the issues surrounding presenters who promote
commercial products during their speeches; they recommended that
guidelines be provided to conference chairs regarding speaker selection
and speaker contracts that detail the restrictions on promotion.
The Board discussed the evaluation of the Executive Director and
the Executive Office, commending us for our work. In addition, they
discussed the need to raise the Consultant Bureau fees; their desire
to honor Michael Holen, Dean of Kansas State University’s
College of Education, for his support of NACADA through the Executive
Office; and their interest in establishing a “foundation”
for fundraising. Potential collaborations with N4A (Athletic Advisors
Association) were discussed and a request to change the name of
the NACADA newsletter was supported. President Eric White called
our attention to the dissolution of the American Association of
Higher Education (AAHE). The Board continues to focus on the future
of the organization and their dedication to the association is to
be commended.
With a hectic Spring behind us, we now
look forward to seeing many of you in St. Paul
or Colorado Springs for the Academic
Advising Summer Institutes, and/or in Las Vegas in October.
If your summer travels take you across Kansas on I-70, give us a
call and come see us in Manhattan. We are just 10 miles north of
I-70 in the beautiful Kansas Flint Hills. Call and we will give
you directions to our offices. Wishing you a relaxing summer!
Roberta “Bobbie” Flaherty, Executive
Director
National Academic Advising Association
(785) 532-5717
NACADA@KSU.EDU
Challenges for Two-Year
College Advisors
Dianne T. Castor, Chair, NACADA Two-Year Colleges
Commission
Academic advisors face increasing challenges each year. What are
the most effective ways to deal with enrollment increases when there
has been little or no increase in budget? How do we handle the advising
needs of these students? How can colleges effectively cope with
the increasing numbers of transfer students? How can we use orientations
to enhance advisement? These are just a few of the many challenges
faced every day by advisors at most colleges, but particularly at
two-year colleges.
The key to attacking campus problems is teamwork; the entire campus
– from president to classified employees – must work
together. Committees dealing with campus issues must include members
– from academics, student services, administrative affairs,
and classified staff – who are committed to solving problems
and bringing success to the campus. An old song titled “Little
Is Much” comes to mind when attempting to work out budget
problems; when campus resources are pooled, larger projects can
be tackled with less money.
Many two-year colleges focus their initial campus efforts on the
development of a comprehensive orientation program that includes
a strong academic advising component. Advisor inclusion in the planning
and implementation of orientation programs can help establish a
solid foundation on which students can build their knowledge in
college.
Students must find out what resources are available that can assist
them in achieving their college goals. They need to be made aware
of learning/tutorial resource availability. Students need to be
educated regarding the terms that will be used in colleges; terms
such as GPA (grade point average), credit hour, academic probation
and/ or dismissal may seem everyday to some, but these terms may
be new to first time and/or first generation students. Students
should be shown how grades are calculated and how grades affect
their academic standing as well as their financial aid. Students
need to know that there are consequences for poor grades and lack
of attendance. Additionally, they need to know the differences between
certificate, career, and transfer programs, and how courses and
grades may or may not transfer from one institution to another institution.
On-line orientations can provide more time for one-on-one advising
of individual students. This delivery method also provides students
with the opportunity to revisit a particular area in which they
need further clarification. It is especially helpful if on-line
orientations provide students with the opportunity to have individual
questions answered via email or in person at an advising session.
When meeting with students one-on-one, two-year college advisors
often find themselves challenged by a student who wants to be elsewhere.
This student may appear frustrated and irritated during the advising
session. How can an advisor effectively help such a student? First,
become this student’s number one advocate. Look at the student’s
records and ask open-ended questions to encourage student/advisor
interaction. Often a carefully worded question may be the key to
finding the answer to a student’s problem. Are there academic
issues involved in this student’s decision to attend the two-year
college? Are there financial issues? Were personal issues involved
in the student’s decision? Once the primary reason for attendance
is established, the student and advisor can explore potential solutions
to the problem. Advisors can determine if referrals to other departments
can help the student begin work on a solution to the problem. Advisors
should also encourage the student to make a follow-up appointment
to discuss the student’s progress toward the solution.
Additional challenges may occur when students “reverse transfer”
from a four-year college or university. Advisors should first determine
why the student transferred. Was the reason academic, financial,
personal, or some combination? Was the student not prepared for
college? Is remediation needed? Was the student trying to work too
many hours? Did the student’s extracurricular activities interfere
with study time? Was too little study time available? Was the course
load too great? A carefully worded question, e.g. “tell me
what you did on a typical day at your former school,” can
reveal the issues that can help an advisor assist the student. Once
the problem areas are understood, the student and advisor can begin
working together toward solutions.
Advisors at two-year colleges need encouragement that they are
meeting the challenges and expectations of their advising roles.
Monetary rewards are great, but in many cases needed resources simply
are not available. In these cases, begin by encouraging advisors
via email. Then consider a certificate of merit; an “Advisor
of the Year” program can offer recognition to outstanding
advisors. Sending advisors to regional and national NACADA conferences
supports professional development that reinforces advisor growth.
Advisors can be encouraged to become NACADA members and join a commission.
Because each commission addresses a specific advisor need, commission
members usually face similar challenges and are willing to share
their ideas with their colleagues. NACADA monographs also provide
a wealth of information from advising pioneers.
To meet the growing challenges faced by advisors, the need for
teamwork, advocacy, problem-solving skills, creativity, and administrative
support will continue to grow in importance in the years ahead.
If we network and build our skills now, we can move successfully
into the future.
If you would like to find out more regarding two-year college advising,
please visit the Two-Year Colleges Commission Web site at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Commissions/C07/index.htm.
Connect with colleagues and discuss this article on the advising
in two-year colleges electronic list at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/list serve/C07.htm.
Dianne T. Castor
Coastal Georgia Community College
(912) 262-3298
dcastor@cgcc.edu
Peer Advising: A Win-Win
Initiative
Heidi Koring, Chair, Peer Advising & Advising
Interest Group
Informal peer advising is not new. Tom Grites, commenting in a
November 2001 Mentor Advising Forum, stated that “Undergraduates
are ALWAYS peer advisers. They advise in the residence halls, the
cafeterias, on the bus commute, in the local pub, etc.” Orientation
leaders and resident assistants regularly function as informal peer
advisors. But, in a time when every student counts, most institutions
prefer that sharing of vital information not be left to chance.
Formal peer advising programs direct and channel peer advising to
ensure that students are given advice by peers trained to impart
accurate information and to make appropriate referrals.
Formal peer advising programs are rapidly growing enhancements
to academic advising programs. A February 2004 NACADA survey revealed
that over 65% of institutions surveyed have peer advising or peer
mentoring programs; over 36% of the institutions without formal
peer advising programs are considering implementing such a program.
Why are institutions adopting peer advising programs? What advantage
does peer advising have at the college or university level?
Peer advising offers several advantages, including versatility,
compatibility with pre-existing academic advising programs, sensitivity
to student needs, and the ability to extend the range and scope
of advising to times and venues when advising is not usually available.
Additionally, those serving as peer advisors benefit from the leadership
development included in such programs.
Peer advising is versatile and can be tailored to the needs of
the institution. For instance, peer advising can range in intensity
from “friendly contact” – a relaxed and informal
contact by experienced students to new students in transition –
to intensive programs in which peer advisors in residence halls
provide 24-7 assistance.
Peer advising is compatible with all advising delivery models.
It does not have to be implemented institution-wide, but can be
limited to a single major program or a sub-set of students. Some
peer advising programs pair peers with faculty advisors as part
of a faculty advising model. Still other peer advising programs
feature peer advisors who work in an advising center. Some peer
advising programs are housed in individual academic schools or departments
within the university; others are housed within student service
units, e.g., centers devoted to first-year or multi-cultural students.
Although peer advising programs typically address needs of first-year
students, peer advising has proven to be a positive intervention
for many student subsets, especially at-risk and minority groups.
Walters (2003) found peer advising to be an important factor for
new student success at Onondaga Community College (p. 50). McConnell
(2000) found that peer advising assists first generation college
students transition to their academic environment (p. 82). Whelley
et al (2003) state that peer advising relationships are helpful
for students with disabilities (p. 42). The NACADA Clearinghouse
of Academic Advising Resources lists forty-three successful peer
advising programs (see http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/peeradvising.htm);
many of these programs are designed to assist sub-sets of students
like the Boston College Department of Romance Languages Peer Advisor
Program, the University of California at Irvine Peer Academic Advisor
Program for Honors students, and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Peer Advising Program for multicultural students. A NACADA monograph
on peer advising will include many exemplary peer advising programs,
including those which meet special needs. (Note: this monograph
is scheduled for fall 2005 publication; watch the monthly NACADA
member Highlights for details.)
Peer advising programs extend the scope and availability of academic
advising programs by providing advising in residence halls, through
student-friendly communications media like instant messaging, and
during evenings and weekends when faculty advisors or professional
advising staff are not available to answer questions. Some peer
advising programs begin during summer orientation and continue through
the academic year. Such programs create a smoother transition by
providing services in the period between summer orientation and
the start of the fall semester through telephone or email contact
between entering students and peer advisors.
Peer advisors benefit from participation in the program as much
as the students they serve. Peer advisors form close mentoring relationships
with their supervisors. They develop leadership skills through their
experiences in the program. Some programs provide intensive, credit-bearing
training programs for peer advisors, including instruction in developmental
psychology, counseling, and educational theory. These skills benefit
peer advisors not only when they are actively advising, but also
after they graduate. A 2001 graduate of Lynchburg College, who spent
three years as a peer advisor, is now an assistant dean at a Midwestern
preparatory school. She reports that she uses the knowledge and
experience she gained as a peer advisor daily in her present position.
Everybody wins when peer advising is added to an institution’s
academic advising program. The advising program wins, since peer
advising is a versatile and flexible addition to a pre-existing
program. The students served benefit, since peer advising extends
the scope and availability of advising services and can be used
to target at-risk groups for additional attention. Finally, the
peer advisors themselves win skills they can use beyond their college
years. No wonder peer advising is a fast growing enhancement to
today’s academic advising programs.
Heidi Koring, Director
Lynchburg College
(434) 544-8419
koring_h@lynchburg.edu
Works Cited
Grites, Thomas. (2001). Advising Forum. The Mentor: An Academic
Advising Journal. Retrieved 2/17/2005 from http://www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/.
McConnell, Peggy J. (2000). What community colleges should do to
assist first-generation students. Community College Review. 28(3),
75-87.
Walters, Evon Washington. (2003). Editor's choice: becoming student
centered via the one-stop shop initiative: a case study of Onondaga
Community College. Community College Review. 31(3), 40-54.
Whelley, T., Radtke, R., Burgstahler, S., Christ, T. (Autumn, 2003).
Mentors, advisers, role models, peer supporters: Career Development
relationships and individuals with disabilities. American Rehabilitation.
27(1), 42-49.
First-Year Students
with Dyslexia Transitioning to College
Wanda M. Hadley, University of Dayton
Julie Q. Morrison, University of Dayton
Leslie L. Hemphill, Past-Chair, NACADA Advising Students with Disabilities
Commission
Increasing numbers of high school graduates with learning disabilities
are enrolling in colleges and universities each year. A learning
disability may be manifested by deficits in the student’s
reading ability (dyslexia), speech ability (dyspraxia), writing
ability (dysgraphia) or math ability (dyscalculia). A student with
a learning disability may also have difficulty with sustained attention,
time management, and/or social skills. Some students think that
when they transition to college they will “outgrow”
their learning disabilities and be able to handle their studies
on their own. Individuals do not outgrow a learning disability,
although they may develop a host of strategies for compensating
for the disability. Still, these students find that when they transition
to college they continue to need academic accommodations.
Dyslexia is the most common learning problem reported by first-year
college students with learning disabilities. Students with dyslexia
experience such reading problems as poor reading fluency, uneven
and inconsistent comprehension and retention of material read, difficulty
identifying and differentiating main ideas in readings, and difficulty
following written directions. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD), the inability to consistently apply concentration for long
periods of time, is oftentimes diagnosed with dyslexia. Nearly 25
percent of college students with learning disabilities may also
have ADHD. In addition to being easily distracted, students with
ADHD may find it difficult to follow a train of thought to its conclusion,
easily feel overwhelmed, and have difficulty breaking down and/or
organizing information, thoughts, or tasks. College students with
dyslexia have to deal with the unique challenges presented by their
disability as well as the daily stressors of the college environment.
A knowledgeable advisor can use intrusive advising techniques to
help increase the likelihood of success for these students. Advisors
can help students develop enrollment plans that spread courses with
heavy reading requirements across students’ entire educational
careers. Awareness of faculty teaching styles and techniques can
also allow an advisor to recommend that students fulfill requirements
by enrolling in courses that best complement their learning styles.
Depending upon student situation and college, advisors may be able
to help advisees obtain course substitutions or attain full-time
status even when students are enrolled in fewer than twelve credit
hours. On a more fundamental level advisors can reinforce the use
of successful accommodations, such as student using a tape recorder
during lectures or reviewing lecture notes as soon as possible after
class. Advisors can refer students for assistance from community
and campus resources such as the Learning Assistance Centers. They
can find additional intrusive advising techniques and resources
in the Clearinghouse at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Intrusive_advising.htm.
Students with dyslexia who choose to attend college must meet the
same admission requirements as students without disabilities. These
students may be particularly challenged by the expectation that
all college students practice more independent behaviors. The Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that students with
learning disabilities in kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12)
have access to a host of accommodations and services such as special
classes, individual instruction, and alternative testing. These
services are not required by law in the college environment and
usually are not available. When students transition to college,
they are protected by Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA). These laws assure that students with learning disabilities
receive reasonable accommodations, but do not include the types
and levels of services required by the IDEA.
Once enrolled in a college or university, students must request
accommodations and provide documentation prepared by a qualified
professional. This step is essential if students are to receive
accommodations in classes. Because of a misguided desire to assert
independence or because of negative experiences with the IDEA in
high school, some students refuse to request accommodations. Advisors
who become aware of such a situation should encourage these students
to request accommodations.
Because the symptoms of dyslexia vary from student to student,
it is important that students with dyslexia become knowledgeable
about their disability so they can discuss the academic accommodations
they need to be successful. Students with learning disabilities
report viewing faculty as one of the variables in their academic
success. Initially, advisors may need to assist students with dyslexia
in communicating their needs to individual faculty members. Advisors
can role play disclosure conversations with students and help students
set up appointments with professors to discuss accommodations.
College students with learning disabilities are typically intelligent
and motivated. Many are gifted and when provided with appropriate
and reasonable accommodations, can be successful in college with
a little help from their advisors.
The Advising Students with Disabilities Commission invites discussion
regarding this article or other issues surrounding advising students
with disabilities on the Commission’s electronic list at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/list serve/C16.htm.
Wanda M. Hadley
University of Dayton
Julie Q. Morrison
University of Dayton
Leslie L. Hemphill
Cloud County Community College
(785) 243-1435
lhemphill@cloud.edu
References:
Association on Higher Education and Disability. (2001). College
students with learning disabilities. University of Massachusetts,
Boston.
Association on Higher Education and Disability. (2002). College
students who have adhd. University of Massachusetts, Boston.
Hadley, W. M. (in press). The transition and adjustment to academic
expectations of first-year students with specific learning disabilities:
The initial follow-up study. Journal of College Orientation and
Transition.
Hadley, W. M., Twale, D. J., & Evans, J. (2003). First year
students with specific learning disabilities: Transition and adjustment
to academic expectations. Journal of College Orientation and Transition,
11 (1), 35-46.
Vantage Point
Three Visitors
James W. Vick, University of Texas at Austin,
1992 NACADA Pacesetter Award Recipient
I had just settled into my chair at 8:30 on Wednesday morning,
my hands cupping a mug of hot coffee, when Mike appeared at the
door. It was a surprise to see him, mainly because in his previous
advising sessions his highest criterion in course selection seemed
to be that no class should begin before 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. Mike
quickly expressed the basis for his behavioral shift and his concern
regarding the future: He had come to the realization that both his
biology major and his pre-med designation needed to change.
Now immersed in genetics and organic chemistry, his performance
and his interest were both at a low ebb. In contrast, the economics
course he was taking to meet a social science requirement had captured
his imagination. He actually found himself reading unrequired material
and seeking conversations with faculty on critical national issues.
He clearly wanted to talk about these changes and their implications
and to seek reassurance as he turned away from a direction he has
followed since early childhood.
Twenty minutes later, as Mike left, he greeted Selina, a student
who had just transferred from a community college across the state.
She had stayed close to home for the first three semesters, but
from the beginning her goal had been a pharmacy degree on our campus.
She had carefully monitored our equivalent of each course she had
taken, and she had measured each against the requirements for admission
to pharmacy school, but we needed to plan the next steps as well
as
review the path to a biochemistry degree in case her application
was not successful. Her optimism was strong, even as she planned
an alternative she hoped would never be necessary.
Soon after Selina departed, an old familiar student appeared. Caroline
was planning her senior year as a math major. She had completed
all of the required courses but needed four upper-division math
classes over the next year to complete her B.S. Her grades were
solid, in fact they were good enough to encourage her interest in
graduate school. So the key question became: how should she select
her last four courses to maximize her preparation for further study?
The answers depended on her possible schools and her proposed field
or fields of concentration.
These three visitors exemplify some of the critical roles an adviser
plays in the lives of students. For those like Mike who are struggling
with developmental issues, an adviser provides support and guidance,
freedom to explore accompanied by a strong dose of reality, an encouraging
and sympathetic ear when positive steps are taken, and a source
for referrals to offices on campus that can help meet needs that
arise.
Selina on the other hand knew exactly where she was going, but
still needed insight into courses along her path and the alternatives
should her primary goal be unrealized. By structuring her plan carefully,
she could minimize the delay in reaching a secondary target if that
path became necessary.
At the other end of the process, Caroline needed guidance that
could only be provided by a specialist in her field, one or more
faculty members who could explore her interests in advanced study,
discuss possible graduate programs, and help her select the best
courses for the next level. Sometimes it is difficult, especially
with a student you know and like, to realize the time has come to
pass her on to others who are better able to meet her needs.
For each of these three visitors the adviser plays a critical role.
It is much more than course selection and graduation requirements.
The relationship with Mike, Selina, and Caroline and many others
like them can become a key ingredient in their undergraduate experience,
and the success of the relationship depends on a full range of talents.
In truth, Mike, Selina, and Caroline are drawn from advising experiences
I have had over the years. While they may be literally fictional,
I have seen such students, and so have you. They are a daily reminder
of the challenges and rewards of our profession.
Jim Vick
University of Texas
(512) 471-1133
jvick@mail.utexas.edu
James W. Vick was the first Pacesetter
award winner, former Associate Dean in the College of Natural Sciences,
a Math professor, and is currently Vice-President for Student Affairs
at The University of Texas at Austin. Contact Dr. Vick at jvick@mail.utexas.edu.
NACADA Career
Services Corner
Jennifer L. Bloom, Chair, NACADA Member Career Services
Committee
Dear Career Corner: I am feeling adrift in my career
and not sure what direction I want to pursue – do you have
any suggestions for where to begin? Signed, Lost at Sea
Dear Lost: When you begin to feel adrift in your career or in your
personal life, it means that it is time to get back to the basics.
The first step to re-establishing your heading is to explore/re-examine
your values. “The way you behave reflects your attitude toward
life. And your attitudes are a function of what you believe. These
attitudes and beliefs are driven by what is most important to you
– your values” (Majer, 2004, p. 75).
So, let’s explore what your values are. In other words, what
are you passionate about? Here are some examples of values from
Majer’s (2004) book, Values Based Leadership: accountability,
life balance, nurturing, independence, achievement, learning, fairness,
respect, integrity, honesty, excellence, reliability, flexibility,
simplicity, kindness, fun, teamwork, creativity, dependability (p.
72). This is only a small representative inventory of values, so
do not limit yourself to just this list. Majer (2004) advocates
defining your central core values because, “Having too many
values is like serving too many masters” (p. 44). Majer (2004)
also advocates helping to uncover your values by asking “How
do your spend your time when you’re not working?” (p.
64). Then analyze what about these activities led you to participate
them because, “You are the same person at home, at work, and
at play. You take you – and your values – with you wherever
you go” (Majer, 2004, p. 112).
As you uncover your values, you can use this information to decide
whether you are able to live out your values through your current
position. If there is a values mismatch between you and your employer,
this may be an indicator that it may be time for you to explore
other job opportunities. You should use your values as your compass
throughout the job search process. One way to do this is to fill
out the Values, Stories, & Questions
chart from Martin & Bloom’s
(2003) book:
List your values in the left-hand column. In the Stories column,
jot down stories that demonstrate how you live out your values.
In the Questions column, list potential questions you could ask
of your future employers. This chart will serve as the foundation
of your search and you will refer to it throughout the search process
in order to compose compelling cover letters, interview well, and
negotiate an equitable package. Making decisions based on values
will serve you well not only in the job search process, but also
throughout your entire life.
Jennifer Bloom, Chair, NACADA Member Career
Services Committee
University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign
(217) 244-1512
JLBLOOM@UIUC.EDU
References
Majer, K. (2004). Values-based leadership: A revolutionary approach
to business success and personal prosperity, San Diego, CA: MajerCommunications.
Martin, N.A. & Bloom, J.L. (2003). Career Aspirations &
Expeditions: Advancing Your Career in Higher Education Administration.
Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.
Kansas State
University and NACADA Announce the First Recipients of the Graduate
Certificate in Academic Advising
In January 2002, a NACADA Professional Development Task Force
assembled to discuss the unmet professional development needs of
NACADA members. A variety of focus areas were identified, one of
which resulted in the development and implementation of the successful
Academic Advising Administrators’ Institute.
The Task Force recognized a high-priority need for formalized training
in the field of academic advising, including foundational knowledge
in theory and concepts, as well as skill development in areas such
as advising special populations, creating and implementing advisor
training programs, and assessment of advising. The Task Force also
identified the need for both credit and non-credit opportunities
that are reasonably priced and would be available at a distance
for members who are unable to travel or attend graduate school fulltime.
With the Task Force recommendations in mind, NACADA Executive Director
Bobbie Flaherty approached Dr. Michael Holen, Dean of Kansas State
University’s College of Education, about the opportunity for
NACADA and Kansas State to collaborate in creating and implementing
a Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising. With Dr. Holen’s
support, and through the work of Educational Psychology and Counseling
department faculty (led by department chair Dr. Stephen Benton),
the Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising was developed and
gained university approval; the first course was offered in Fall
2003.
Since Fall 2003, over 180 learners have taken courses in the Graduate
Certificate program. Originating faculty member Dr. Charlie Nutt,
NACADA Associate Director and Assistant Professor at Kansas State
University, stated, “All the students have been so dedicated
and hard working – this teaching experience has been one of
the most rewarding and challenging of my career.”
This spring the first group of graduates will complete the Graduate
Certificate in Academic Advising. The recipients, representing all
institutional types from across the country, are Barbara Austin
(Purdue University-North Central), Frank Bell (University of Alabama-Hunstville),
Sharon Bland (East Carolina University), Krista Bot (Anchorage,
AK), Ben Chamberlain (Iowa State University - completed coursework
in spring 2004), Denise Ciluffo (CUNY-College of Staten Island),
Patrice Fergus (Northwestern Business College), Karen Hayden (Feather
River College), Lisa Haydon (Dominican University of California),
Richard Hogrefe Jr. (Crafton Hills College), Robert Hurt (California
Poly Univ-Pomona), Cynthia Knape (New River, AZ), Amy Korthank Gabaldon
(University of Iowa), Linda Kuniholm (Kansas State University),
Shirley Lukacs (Lane Community College), Jennifer Napierkowski (Northampton
Community College), Alison Navarrete (Pacific Lutheran University),
Bernice Pearson (Anchorage, AK), Patty Pedersen (Carbon County Higher
Education Center), Maria Ramos (Lee College), Mary Reynolds (Northwestern
Business College), Monica Roca (Florida International University),
Julianne Scibetta (University of the Sciences in Philadelphia),
Kathy Stockwell (Fox Valley Technical College), Ann Sukalac (Linfield
College), Nancy Torno (University of Nevada-Las Vegas), and Elizabeth
Yarbrough (Auburn University). Recipients will be recognized in
a special ceremony at the national NACADA conference in Las Vegas
in October, with Dean Holen present to honor their accomplishment.
Amy Korthank Gabaldon, who is greatly looking forward to Las Vegas,
says that the program “improved my advising by ten fold! In
addition, each individual course inspired me to create new worksheets,
programs, and initiatives for my students and colleagues on my campus.
It has not only made me a better advisor, but has helped to improve
advising at my institution!” Amy and fellow-recipient Nancy
Torno will present a concurrent session at the national conference
entitled “Cashing in on Professional Development with the
K-State / NACADA Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising.”
Beth Yarbrough, who will be part of a panel of certificate recipients
presenting at the conference, declares, “I certainly hoped
that completing the program would make me a better advisor, but
I didn't understand the extent to which it would improve my skills
and my thought process during advising. I have enjoyed each course,
and can think of specific students that I was better able to help
as a direct result of completing the courses. It has made me a better,
more confident and competent advisor with many more tricks and options
for working with students. As a result, I love my job even more,
and I didn't think that was possible. It has been an outstanding
experience in every way.”
For information on the program, including application and registration
information, go to http://www.nacada.ksu.edu
NACADA Statement
of Core Values of Academic Advising
The NACADA Board of Directors has approved the work of the Task
Force charged with updating the NACADA Core Values
of Academic Advising. Find the updated Core Values at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Core-Values.htm.
Members will note that the Statement of Core Values consists of
three parts: Introduction, Declaration, and Exposition. While each
part stands alone, the document’s richness and fullness of
meaning lies in its totality. The Statement of Core Values provides
a framework to guide professional practice and reminds advisors
of their responsibilities to students, colleagues, institutions,
society, and themselves.
The Board thanks the Task Force for their hard work and encourages
each member to use the Core Values for personal development and
to share the Statement on campus (workshops, newsletters, etc.)
following the NACADA fair use procedures found at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Fair-Use.htm#free.
Watch for the September edition of Academic
Advising Today, when Task Force Chair Maura
Ivanick will discuss the changes, the purpose of the changes,
and ideas for ways institutions might utilize the Core Values.
2005 NACADA
LEADERSHIP POSITION ELECTION RESULTS
The election of NACADA leadership positions for terms beginning
in October 2005 began on January 14, 2005 when the online voting
system was made accessible to all eligible voting NACADA members.
Login information and passwords were e-mailed individually to members
using special mail-merging software. The positions for which candidates
were seeking election included NACADA President, Vice President,
Board of Directors members, Region Chairs, Commission Chairs, and
Committee Chairs. The election process for these positions concluded
on February 11 after which all valid votes were tallied.
The election of the Division Representative for the Commission
and Interest Group (CIG) Division for the two-year term of October
2005-October 2007 was held immediately after the conclusion of the
general election. Only those individuals who would be serving as
Commission Chairs within the CIG Division as of the conclusion of
the national conference in Las Vegas this fall were eligible to
vote for this elected Division Representative position. In March,
the incoming appointed Division Representatives for the Administrative
and Regional Divisions were announced by Jo Anne Huber, incoming
NACADA President, and these individuals will also begin a two-year
term in October 2005 following the national conference.
The 2005 leadership election results are as follows:
Board of Directors:
President (1-year term, 2005-2006): Jo Anne Huber,
The University of Texas at Austin
Vice President (1-year term, 2005-2006): Jane
Jacobson, Iowa State University
Board of Directors (3-year term each, 2005-2008):
Jennifer Bloom, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Susan Campbell, University of Southern Maine
Phil Christman, Malone College
Division Representatives (2-year term,
2005-2007):
Elected:
Commission & Interest Group Division Representative: Jill
Johnson, University of Guelph
Appointed:
Administrative Division Representative: Jayne
Drake, Temple University
Regional Division Representative: George Steele,
Ohio Learning Network
Region Chairs (2005-2007):
Northeast Region 1: Gail Stepina, University
of New Hampshire
Mid-South Region 3: Karen Thurmond, The University
of Memphis
Great Lakes Region 5: Dan King, Michigan State
University
South Central Region 7: Jill Anderson Hieb, University
of Kansas
Pacific Region 9: Selma Reed, San Diego State
University
Commission Chairs (2005-2007):
Advising Adult Learners: Teri Farr, Illinois
State University
Advising Business Majors: Bill Johnson, The College
of New Jersey
Advising Education Majors: Lee Kem, Murray State
University
Advising Graduate and Professional Students: Kati
Markowitz, University of California at Berkeley
Advising Student Athletes: Nancy Everson, College
of William and Mary
Advisor Training and Development: Kathy Davis,
Southwest Missouri State University
ESL & International Student Advising: Aura
Rios Erickson, Shoreline Community College
Liberal Arts Advisors: Tim Moore, Kent State
University
Technology in Advising: Lauren Wass, Florida
International University
Two-Year Colleges: Peggy Jordan, Oklahoma City
Community College
Committee Chairs (2005-2007):
Awards Committee: Rob Mossack, Lipscomb University
Diversity Committee: Skip Crownhart, Metropolitan
State College of Denver
Member Career Services: Karen Sullivan-Vance,
Oregon State University
Professional Development Committee: Tim Champardé,
Lansing Community College
Election Statistics:
Of the 7819 current members who were eligible to vote in the general
elections, 1624 (20.8%) participated in the online voting. This
year’s voter response was slightly higher than in last year’s
election, which yielded a turnout of 19.5%, and that in 2003 (18%).
The eligible NACADA membership at the time the 2005 online voting
system was activated was 19.2% higher than that in 2004.
In the Board of Directors race, a voter response of 17.6% (4116
votes cast out of a possible 23,457 votes) was received for the
three positions being elected. Each NACADA member could vote for
up to three members of the Board of Directors. For the positions
of President and Vice President, response rates of 20.2% (1579 votes)
and 18.2% (1420 votes) were received, respectively. Of the 20 Commission
Chairs eligible to vote for the Commission and Interest Group Division
Representative, 17 chairs voted (85%).
Of the 4620 total ballots offered for the five Region Chair races,
918 total votes were cast (19.9%), varying as follows: Region 1—123
votes (13.0% of its eligible voting members at the time ballots
were made available); Region 3—114 votes (22.1%); Region 5—346
votes (21.0%); Region 7—253 votes (24.6%); and, Region 9—79
votes (16.5%).
Of the 6664 total ballots offered for the 10 Commission Chair races,
1254 total votes were cast (18.8%), varying as follows: C01-Advising
Adult Learners—153 votes (16.5% of the commission members);
C06-Advising Graduate and Professional Students—62 votes (19.8%);
C07-Two-Year Colleges—169 votes (19.7%); C11-Advising Business
Majors—103 votes (18.2%); C12-Advising Student Athletes—53
votes (17.8%); C14-Technology in Advising—176 votes (23.5%);
C17-Advisor Training and Development—242 votes (19.7%); C22-Advising
Education Majors—62 votes (21.1%); C26-ESL & International
Student Advising—28 votes (12.5%); and, C30-Liberal Arts Advisors—206
votes (17.1%).
Of the 33 total ballots offered for the four Committee Chair races,
28 total votes were cast (84.8%), varying as follows: Awards Committee—7
votes (100% of eligible voting committee members); Diversity Committee—7
votes (87.5%); Member Career Services Committee—7 votes (70%);
and, Professional Development Committee—7 votes (87.5%).
Three Region Chair races, three Commission Chair races, two Committee
Chair races and the Vice Presidential race were uncontested, which
may explain some of the lower response rates received.
The NACADA Board of Directors and the Executive Office appreciate
the time that NACADA members took to study the qualifications and
platform statements of the candidates and cast their votes online.
We also thank all individuals who participated in the election—the
candidates who ran for office as well as those who nominated them.
Congratulations to those who have been elected to leadership positions.
Their willingness to make this commitment to NACADA is greatly appreciated.
If you or a colleague are interested in serving in a NACADA Leadership
position and would like to be a candidate in next year’s elections,
nominations via the 2006 Leadership Recommendation Form must be
submitted to the Executive Office by Friday,
October 28, 2005. An online nomination form will be available
this summer on our web site at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Election/index.htm,
which can be completed and submitted electronically. NACADA members
will be notified of its availability via e-mail in the monthly Member
Highlights. There will also be a Word version of this form available
at this same site that can be printed, completed, and sent by mail
or fax to the Executive Office. Leadership Recommendation forms
can also be submitted at the NACADA National Conference in Las Vegas
where forms will be available in the conference program, at the
NACADA display booth, and at the conference registration area.
The following totals and percentages are presented for comparison
purposes:
| GENERAL
ELECTION
|
2005
|
2004
|
2003
|
2002
|
2001
|
2000
|
1999
|
1998
|
1997
|
| #
of eligible voting members |
7819
|
6562
|
6170
|
5775
|
5215
|
5017
|
4199
|
3623
|
3590
|
| #
of members voting |
1624
20.8%
|
1278
19.5%
|
1111
18% |
1124
20% |
1376
26% |
1079
22% |
1089
26% |
950
26% |
1208
34% |
| #
of regional ballots cast |
918
19.9%
(5
races) |
484
18.5%
(5
races) |
621
17.7%
(5
races) |
432
18%
(5
races) |
772
25% |
458
22% |
No
Data |
No
Data |
No
Data |
| #
of commission ballots cast |
1254
18.8%
(10
races) |
1320
19.5%
(12
races) |
605
17.7%
(7
races) |
968
18%
(9
races) |
No
chairs elected |
691
20% |
No
Data |
No
Data |
No
Data |
| #
of committee ballots cast |
28
84.8%
(4
races) |
18
62.1%
(3
races) |
No
Data
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
NACADA
Northeast Region 1 puts “Academic Advising on Centre Stage”
Montreal in March couldn’t get
much better for Northeast Region 1! With a record-setting attendance
of over 295 people, a keynote speaker who addressed the trends in
higher education and students, and over 50 concurrent sessions to
choose from, the evaluations for the 21st annual conference support
the success that seemed intuitively obvious from the level of enthusiasm
that ran through the 2 ½ days. The conference theme, “Advising
on Centre Stage,” evoked presentations that ranged
from theory to practice, making it a conference with something for
everyone! The ‘Best of Region’ award went to: “The
Advising Affair—Maintaining the Passion!” by presenters
Susan Kolls (Northeastern University)
and Terri Downing (Franklin Pierce College).
During last year’s conference, Region 1 initiated ‘Excellence
in Academic Advising Awards’ to acknowledge, on a regional
basis, individuals who were outstanding academic advisors. Nominations
were elicited from those who registered for the conference. As with
last year, nominees were not aware of either their nomination or
their selection until the annual business meeting. This year’s
Excellence in Academic Advising Award
winners were: